Blumenfield Public Safety Measures Advance With Community Support

posted by Jason Levin | 858sc
August 23, 2013

Councilmember Blumenfield’s Community Action Teams spring into action as public safety measures advance through committee.

LOS ANGELES – Continuing his commitment to engaging local communities in the civic process, Councilmember Bob Blumenfield’s Community Action (CAT) Teams sprung into action today in support of two Blumenfield measures heard in the Public Safety Committee.

“For many residents in the Valley and across the City, it can be difficult to engage in local government,” said Blumenfield. “My Community Action Teams are made up of community members who are partners in my efforts to meet the challenges facing the Valley.”

At his swearing-in last month, Councilmember Blumenfield announced the formation of his Community Action Teams and established taskforces to focus on business and economic development, community beautification, seniors, veterans and women’s issues as well as emergency preparedness.

Today’s Public Safety Committee meeting allowed members of the Emergency Preparedness Taskforce to delve into the legislative process as two Blumenfield measures were heard before the committee.

Nathan Wolfstein, who chairs the taskforce, was on hand to speak in favor of Councilmember Blumenfield’s initiative which seeks to dramatically expand emergency preparedness training programs and engage new segments of the community in public safety. The measure asks LAFD and the Emergency Management Department to make recommendations to establish emergency preparedness training programs geared toward specific segments of the population, including youth, seniors, disabled, and homeless persons

“This is how we get from 60,000 to 400,000 volunteers in the next three years,” said Wolfstein, who himself has been trained as part of the LA Fire Department’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training, and previously served on the Councilmember’s Valley Preparedness Taskforce during his time in the State Assembly.

Also before the Public Safety Committee was a Blumenfield initiative to increase coordination between LAPD and existing domestic violence support services.

“The measures considered by the Public Safety Committee today come directly out of conversations with my Community Action Team members. My goal in establishing CAT Teams was to make sure that Valley residents have the opportunity to address issues critical to their neighborhoods and become part of the solution to shape a stronger Valley. We saw that in action today,” concluded Blumenfield.